In a synchronization control apparatus, a voice-language-information generating section generates the voice language information of a word which a robot utters. A voice synthesizing section calculates phoneme information and a phoneme continuation duration according to the voice language information, and also generates synthesized-voice data according to an adjusted phoneme continuation duration. An articulation-operation generating section calculates an articulation-operation period according to the phoneme information. A voice-operation adjusting section adjusts the phoneme continuation duration and the articulation-operation period. An articulation-operation executing section operates an organ of articulation according to the adjusted articulation-operation period.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A synchronization control apparatus for synchronizing the output of a voice signal and the operation of a movable portion, comprising: phoneme-information generating means for generating phoneme information formed of plurality of phonemes by using language information; calculation means for calculating a phoneme continuation duration according to the phoneme information generated by the phoneme-information generating means; computing means for computing the operation period of the movable portion, according to the phoneme information generated by the phoneme-information generating means; adjusting means for adjusting the phoneme continuation duration calculated by the calculation means and the operation period computed by the computing means; synthesized-voice-information generating means for generating synthesized-voice information according to the phoneme continuation duration adjusted by the adjusting means; synthesizing means for synthesizing the voice signal according to the synthesized-voice information generated by the synthesized-voice-information generating means; and operation control means for controlling the operation of the movable portion according to the operation period adjusted by the adjusting means; wherein the adjusting means compares a phoneme continuation duration and an operation period corresponding to each of the phonemes and performs adjustment by substituting whichever is the longer for the shorter.
2. A synchronization control apparatus for synchronizing the output of a voice signal and the operation of a movable portion, comprising: phoneme-information generating means for generating phoneme information formed of plurality of phonemes by using language information; calculation means for calculating a phoneme continuation duration according to the phoneme information generated by the phoneme-information generating means; computing means for computing the operation period of the movable portion, according to the phoneme information generated by the phoneme-information generating means; adjusting means for adjusting the phoneme continuation duration calculated by the calculation means and the operation period computed by the computing means; synthesized-voice-information generating means for generating synthesized-voice information according to the phoneme continuation duration adjusted by the adjusting means; synthesizing means for synthesizing the voice signal according to the synthesized-voice information generated by the synthesized-voice-information generating means; and operation control means for controlling the operation of the movable portion according to the operation period adjusted by the adjusting means; wherein the adjusting means compares the phoneme continuation duration and the operation period corresponding to all of the phonemes and performs adjustment by extending whichever is the shorter in proportion.
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December 27, 2000
March 8, 2005
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